Tuesday, January 14, 2014

As the door into new and magical sacred lands open up, I find myself spontaneously Juice Fasting to cleanse, to rebuild, to tap into my own sacredness, to stay deeply connected, to allow new insights into my consciousness and ground my feet deep beneath the Earth as I go along for the ride, to deeply nourish myself in times of transition and to tap into the essence of my nourishment. I am on day 6, but this time I am doing a Liquid fast, not just a Juice fast in that I am including smoothies, nut milks and raw soups into my fast. It just feels so right. Fasting is a way to align ourselves with our true self. It is a way to increase our Prana, our life-force. It is a way to connect more deeply, to allow the silence within to become the humming vibration that guides my being. I also mediate for longer when I fast. They seem to go together, and they seem to enhance in synergy the positive effects they both have on the body, mind, emotions and spirit. I am not sure how long this fast will last, I am deeply listening.

Fasting is considered a detoxification tool along our journey, but as we detoxify and let go of what we no longer need in many and all levels of our existence, we also create room for rebuilding our new selfs. As we fast we allow our bodies to balance and realign themselves with our natural rhythms. In the Science of Ayurveda these rhythms are of ultimate importance in our journey to balance and optimal health. These rhythms govern every process in our bodies. Think about it for a second, the beating of our hearts has its own rhythm, our breathing has its own rhythm. From the rhythm of each and every cell process, to the patterns and rhythms of our days, rhythm is everywhere, inside and out!

In Ayurveda, the more we are in alignment with our own bodily rhythms and with the rhythms of the Macrocosm, the more we will experience radiant optimal health. It reads so easy, doesn't it?, yet its a process to do, to stay in tune with your self and the rhythms that surround us as to stay open for the gifts of alignment to shine in.

As 2014 moves along, and we find ourselves, day in and day out, in our routines and daily habits, doing something like a Juice or Liquid Fast, breaks the rhythm of routines & habits, for better or for worse, it breaks down the wall of delusion, it allows our soul to shine a mirror to our ego, it allows us to think and question, allows us to quiet our self, our minds, our hearts, and our bodies so we can then establish new or re-establish old rhyhtms that serve us better. Think of it as a breathing break in the midst of climbing to the summit.

The best time to start a Juice or Liquid Fast is when your body is asking you for it! Either we will be in alignment and know that it is right, or we will be spinning out of control, emotionally, physically, spiritually and suddenly something happens that points us in the direction of taking time to restore. A good idea when fasting is to also align ourselves with the rhyhtms and cycles found in Nature. Many civilizations prior to us, practiced fasting in alignment with the Full & New Moons, as well as, at the time of Seasonal Change. The energy is different at these times, and the veils between the physical and the sacred become more palpable. Aligning ourselves with these energies or change in the energies,with the intention of Alignment of Self has magical synergistic effects on every aspect of our being.

The meditation practice is a great support tool when Fasting because it allows us to be a 'witness' to ourselves and find more compassion and self-love in our process of letting go. Meditation also restores our nervous system, something that the process of fasting and what we 'release' can sometimes challenge. It provides the space for Sacredness and for the unseen to become seen.

As tomorrow's Full Moon approaches I invite you to dust-off your juicer and juice it up! I invite you to sit in meditation just for 5 minutes at the beginning or at the end of your day or both if you can!!! I invite you to participate in the 7th Annual "Winter Feast for the Soul", a free 40 day commitment to the personal practice of stillness.

It's been two years since I did my fist 40 day Juice Fast and the 'Winter Feast for the Soul'. Since then I have found new depths in my meditation practice and the stillness within, in my awareness, in my understanding of energetics, in my relationship with food, with life, with love and with Spirit.

Juice it up and bring it on! Align yourself with the forces of the Universe and keep your heart open to receive the gifts!

Thursday, January 9, 2014

It's an old saying.. "When one door closes, another one opens". But what happens if we are really attached to what we do, where we are at, our passions, dreams and desires? What happens when the door closes, when we realize that if we want to have a different result, we are going to have to change what we are doing? At first, fears happens. Then a lot of questioning happens. Perhaps some anger. But then answers also start to happen. Then a deeper sense of how much we have changed, and what the desires behind some of our dreams really are. A different level of peace and trust enters into my heart and I surrender, I accept, I move, I breathe, I get onto my mat, I connect with the Wisdom of Spirit within me. I surrender to the Magic of it all, because I feel it giving life to the beating of my heart.

As some of you know I used to work as a photographer. I still do it, but not as much as before. Then I got sick with large quantities of Heavy Metals in my blood that were causing all sorts of reactions. Then I got tired of being sick and having no answers. Then I started listening deep within and my life changed. Everything is the same, yet EVERYTHING has changed. There was a time in my life when all I breathed, ate and dreamed about was photography. I couldn't imagine my life without it. As I continued to heal, I went back to painting. I need that creative outlet of artistic expression. It has been my calling for so long.... but for the last couple of months... I started to react to the subtle and not so subtle scents and fumes of the acrylic paint. Ahhhhh. What? No! Again? Yes!

I have felt fear, I have felt anger that I can't do things that I love because of how they affect my body. I have struggled with it. But I have also sat with it. I asked questions and received answers. I surrendered to the powers above, and awoke to a magical world of synchronicity, love and spirit. As I meditate with it, I realize that most of my work as a photographer and a painter where about the human connection and my own connection to Spirit. Photographically, they were documentary stories about our social conditions, a lot where about the rituals that keep our connection alive. As a painter, I was fascinated with painting the feeling and energy of a landscape as a way to journey to Spirit.

As that door closes, it doesn't mean that I will stop, but the ways in which I can work both photographically and through painting have to change, a bigger door opens! The softening of the heart, the forgiveness to self, others and lives's circumstances is allowing me to trust in the ability of the Universe to guide me, to allow for personal transformation and a more intimate and deep connection to Spirit. All sort of wonderful synchronicity, magical moments & people keep showing up in my life and I am most grateful for the awe I feel inside. So another door opens and it's all Rawllygood. This brave new world has brought me into a different understanding and relationship with myself and with Spirit. I accept. I surrender. My heart is open.

About Me

Natalie Howard is the creator of rawllygood, founder of the Realign Ranch- home of the Mandala Garden, documentary photographer, and a HOPE Activist. Natalie supports the realignment of body, mind and soul through a variety of workshops such as Living Raw Food Nutrition and Mandala Garden Design. Natalie’s intention is to be of service through the process of self-transformation that leads to environmental and personal awareness, self-sustainability and spiritual growth.
You can follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

Disclaimer

This blog is for educational purposes only. The recipes and experiences shared in this blog have helped me on my journey. Please use common sense, I have life experiences but no medical training. If in doubt consult with your Doctor/ Naturopath.